Table structure



C. A. PORTER TABLE STRUCTURE July 23, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1968 T I T. m L

Tiiiill I N VEN Toe CHAORLES .4. P027152 C. A. PORTER TABLE STRUCTURE July 28, 1970 "4 sheets sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1968 e 1 7T Toe/v5 s45 July 28, 1970 c. A. PORTER 3,521,847

' TABLE STRUCTURE I.

Filed Feb. 16, 1968 4 Sheet Sheet 5 fvv sxvrbe (2/021. 55 Q. P02 T52 MLl/l July 28, 1970 c. A. PORTER 3,521,347

TABLE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 16, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 QJvvavroe. CHfl/PLES H. P02 T542 United States Patent 3,521,847 TABLE STRUCTURE Charles A. Porter, Garden Grove, Calif., assignor of one-half to Will R. Golden and Joan E. Golden, both of Studio City, Calif.

Filed Feb. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 706,183 Int. Cl. A47b 13/06 US. (:1. 248-188 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a table structure and, more particularly, to a heavy table structure such as a billiard table, and the leg mounting construction thereof.

Billiard tables are normally constructed so as to be very heavy, sometimes weighing as much as 1,000 to 1,600 pounds, so that once a table is properly positioned with its top perfectly level, the table cannot easily be moved. Due to the great weight of a billiard table, it is necessary to provide a very rugged construction, par ticularly where the legs are mounted to the corners of the table.

In the conventional billiard table, a generally rectangular frame having opposite end and side walls supports the top of the table. The legs of the table are connected to the four corners of the frame. This is normally accomplished by securing a triangular wooden block to the inside of each corner of the frame by means of wood screws and glue. The legs are mounted to such blocks by means of bolts which are mounted at the tops of the legs and pass through vertical openings in the triangular blocks. Nuts threaded onto the exposed upper ends of the bolts secure the legs to the blocks.

This construction is not completely satisfactory, for several reasons. For example, if a lateral force is exerted on a leg, as may occur if the leg is bumped during moving of the table from one location to another, or by accidentally kicking the leg, the glue bond between the sides of the triangular block and the walls of the frame is sometimes broken, and the wood screws connecting the block tothe frame are loosened, thereby weakening the leg mounting construction. Also, a lateral force exterted upon the leg oftentimes splits the triangular wooden block to which the leg is mounted, thereby weakening the leg mounting construction.

The conventional leg mounting construction for billiard tables has the further disadvantage that since the triangular blocks are permanently mounted to the table by the use of wood screws and glue, the table cannot be dissassembled for shipping after the table has been fully assembled, without substantial difficulty and inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved leg mounting construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved leg mounting construction for a billiard table which permits the table to be readily disassembled for shipping, yet which has greater strength than the conventional billiard table leg mounting construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a billiard table having ornamental panels which are releasably secured to the walls of the frame which supports the top of the table, so that panels of different ornamental designs may be secured to the frame of the table, thereby permitting the ornamental appearance of the table to be readily altered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a leg mounting construction which is particularly useful for tables having heavy legs.

According to a principal aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure having a frame which supports the top portion of the structure. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure is a billiard table wherein the frame is of rectangular configuration. The legs of the structure are mounted in the corners of the frame. Each leg has an upright projection extending upwardly from an upwardly facing supporting surface thereof. The frame is supported at each corner thereof by the supporting surface of each leg, while the projection of each leg engages the inside surfaces of each respective corner. A bracket engages the projection of each leg and has flanges engaging the inside surfaces of the respective corner of the frame. Fastener elements secure the flanges of the bracket to the walls of the frame thereby firmly ataching the projection and, therefore, the leg to the corner of the frame to provide an extremely rugged leg mounting construction. No glue need be employed in the entire construction, nor triangular, screw mounted blocks which may easily split as in the conventional leg mounting constructions. Hence, the legs and walls of the frame in the present invention may be readily disassembled for shipping or for replacing of the legs or walls with those of diiferent ornamental design.

According to another aspect of the invention, unitary ornamental panels are releasably secured to the outer surfaces of the walls of the frame of the table structure and are supported, as are the walls of the frame, by the upwardly facing supporting surfaces of the legs of the table structure. By this arrangement, ornamental panels of different design and of substantial weight may be secured to the walls of the frame of a table structure.

Other objects, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sides elevational view of one construction of a billiard table in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the billiard table with portions of the felt top of the table, the slate bed and slate frame being broken away to show the interior structure of the table;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is a perspective view of the leg utilized in the billiard table;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is perspective view of the bracket which is mounted to the outside surface of each corner of the frame that supports the table;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bracket which secures each leg to the inside surface of each corner of the frame;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a second form of a table frame and leg mounting construction;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken along line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bracket which is mounted at the inside surface of each corner of the frame of the table illustrated in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bracket employed in the table illustrated in FIG. 7 for securing each leg to the frame of the table.

DESCRIPTION- OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, one embodiment of the invention as applied to a billard table, generally designated 10. The table has a top portion 12 which is supported by a rectangular frame 14. Pockets 17 are provided at the corners of the top 12, and at the sides thereof intermediate the ends of the table. Legs 16 are mounted to the four corners of the frame 14 in a manner which will be described in detail later.

The frame 14 includes opposite end walls 20 and side walls 22. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the end and side walls are inclined upwardly and outwardly from their lower edges 26 toward their upper edges 28. The ends 30 of the side walls 22 abut the sides 32 of the end Walls 20 adjacent to the ends thereof, as best seen in FIG. 4.

Frame 14 also includes horizontal cross members 34 and 36 connected at their ends to the side walls 22 and longitudinally extending members 38, 40 and 42 connected to the cross members 34, 36 and to the end walls 20 by dowels, screws or other suitable fastening means. The upper surfaces of the cross members 34 and 36, and of the longitudinally extending members 38, 40 and 42, are flush with the upper edges 28 of the side and end walls of the frame, thereby providing a generally flat horizontal framework for supporting the top 12 of the table.

The top 12 of the table includes three slate frames, each designated 44. The frames 44 include sides 46 and ends 48. The sides 46 are supported by the cross arms 34 and 36 and the end walls 20 of the table frame 14, and the ends 48 are supported by the side walls 22 of the table frame. Cross pieces 50 connect the sides 46 of each slate frame, and are supported by the longitudinally extending elements 38, 40 and 42 of the table frame.

Each slate frame 44 supports a slate slab, each indicated 52. The slate frames 44 and slate slabs 52 extend beyond the edges of the walls 20 and 22 as seen in FIG. 3.

A felt sheet 54 is tightly drawn over the top of the slate slabs 52 and is secured by means of tracks 56 to the edges of the frames 44 and about the periphery of the table top.

A table rail 58 extends around the periphery of the table top. A nibber bumper 60 is secured to the inside surface of the rail 58 by means of a felt sheet 62. The sheet 62 is secured to the lower edge 64 of the rail by means of tacks 66, only one being seen in FIG. 3, and to the upper surface 68 of the rail by means of a feather strip 70. The strip 70 frictionally holds the felt '62 in a channel 72 that extends along the upper surface of the rail 58 around the table top.

A plurality of bolts 74, only one being seen in FIG. 3, attach the rail 58 to the slate slabs 52 and slate frames 44. The shank 76 of each bolt extends through vertically aligned bores 78 and 80 in the edges of the frames 44 and slabs 52, respectively, which extends outwardly beyond the walls of the table frame 14. An internally threaded insert 82 is secured in a recess 83 in the lower surface 64 of the rail 58 by means of screws 84. A bore 86 is provided in the rail above the recess 82 in alignment with the bores 78 and 80. The threaded end of the shank 76 of the bolt 74 engages the threaded insert 82 and extends into the bore 86. Preferably, a lock washer 88 is interposed between the frame 44 and the head 90 of the bolt. As is apparent, the bolts 74 around the periphery of top 12 hold the rail 58 tightly against the upper surface of the felt covered slate slabs 52.

A blind rail 92 extends around the periphery of the table top 12, and is secured to the slate frames 44 by brackets 94, only one being seen in FIG. 33. The brackets 94 are secured to the slate frames 44 and the blind rail 92 by means of screws 96. The upper end 98 of the blind rail 92 frictionally engages the table rail 58.

In accordance with the present invention, each leg 16 of the table has a generally square, fiat, upwardly facing supporting surface 100, and an integral projection 102 extending upwardly therefrom. Such projection is adapted to be positioned adjacent to the inside surface of a corner of the frame 14, with the surface 100' of the leg supporting the end walls 26 and side walls 22, respectively, of the frame at each corner, as best seen in FIG.

The projection 102 is located at the rear corner of the surface 100 of the leg, when looking at the leg from outside of a corner of the table. The rear surfaces 104 and 106 of the projection 102 are generally vertical, while the forward surfaces 108 and 110 extend upwardly and outwardly from their lower edges 112 and 114, respectively, toward their upper edges 116 and 118. The slope of the inclined surface 108 is the same as the slope of the inside upwardly and outwardly inclined surface 120 of the end wall 20 of the frame 14, while the slope of surface 110 is the same as the slope of the inside upwardly and outwardly inclined surface 122 of the side wall 22.

It is seen that the projection 102 of each leg has a generally square cross section which increases toward the upper end 124 of the projection and is generally complementary to the inclined surfaces 120 and 122 of each corner of the frame 14, and that the surfaces 108 and 110 of each leg projection are complementary to the surfaces 120 and 122, respectively, of each corner of the frame 14.

In order to secure a leg 16 to each corner of the frame 14, there is provided a recess 126 in the outer surfaces 128 and 130 of the side and end walls, respectively, of the frame 14 adjacent to the corners thereof, and adjacent to the lower ends 26 of the frame walls, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. A generally right angle bracket 132 having an intermediate angled section 134 and two sides 136 and 138, lies in the recess 126.

A second bracket 140 is provided, having intermediate vertical sides 142 and 144 normal to one another, and vertical flanges 146 and 148 at their ends normal to the sides 142 and 144. The bracket 140 is positioned against the rear of the projection 102 so that side 142 of the bracket engages rear surface 104 of the projection, and the side 144 of the bracket engages rear surface 106 of the projection. The flange 146 of the bracket is inclined in a vertical direction upwardly and outwardly from its lower edge 147 so as to be complementary with the inside surface 120 of the end wall 20 while the flange 140 extends upwardly and outwardly from its lower edge 144 in the same manner so as to be complementary to the inside surface 122 of the side wall 22.

Fastener means, generally designated 150, serve to secure the brackets 132 and 140 to each corner of the frame 14 and thereby fixedly attach the projections 102 of the legs 16 into the corners. The fastener means 150 include bolts 151 having flat heads 152 engaging tapered openings 154 in the sides 136 and 138 of the outside flange 132. The ends 156 of the heads 152 of the bolts lie flush with the outside surface 158 of the bracket 132. The shank 160 of each bolt 151 extends through horizontal transverse bores 162 passing through walls 20 and 22 of the frame 14. The shanks also pass through bores 164 in the flanges 146 and 148 of the inside bracket 140. Washers 166 are disposed over the exposed ends of the threaded shanks 160 of the bolts, and nuts 168 threaded onto the ends of the shanks draw the two brackets 132 and 140 together, thereby clamping the ends of the walls and 22 of the frame securely together and mounting the projection 102 of the leg securely against the inner surfaces 120 and 122 of the corner of the frame 14.

Since each leg projection 102 having an upwardly increasing cross-section is securely clamped into a cor- ,ner of the frame 14 by the brackets 132 and 140, it is seen that a form of tongue and groove leg mounting construction is provided wherein the projection 102 constitutes the tongue and the space between the sides 142 and 144 of the bracket 140 and the inclined surfaces 120 and 122 of each corner constitutes the groove. Such construction is extremely rugged, yet the legs and side walls of frame 14 may be readily disassembled for shipping or replacing the legs with legs of different ornamental design.

Another feature of the preferred embodiment of the invention is the provision of unitary ornamental panel assemblies, generally designated 174, which are releasably secured to the outside surfaces of the walls 20 and 22 of frame 14 and are supported by the upwardly facing surfaces 100 of the legs 16. I

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a panel assembly 174 comprises generally horizonal upper and lower rails 176 and 178, side rails 180 and 182, and an intermediate lock rail 184. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, elongated, generally horizontal grooves 186 are formed in the opposite walls of the upper and lower rails 176 and 178, while elongated, generally vertical grooves 188 are provided in the opposite walls of the vertical rails 180 and 182 and in the lock rail 184. Raised panels 190, which may be carved or routed to provide any desired ornamental design, are tapered about their outer edges to provide a tongue 192 which slidably engages the groves 186 and 188 in the rails surrounding each raised panel. Due to the sliding tongue and groove connection between the panel 190 and the rails of the panel assembly 174, expansion of the ornamental panel 190, due to the increased temperatures or moisture, may occur without buckling the panel, as would occur of the panel 190 were fixedly connected to the rails of the panel assembly.

As best seen in FIG. 3, a panel assembly 174 is secured to the wall 20 of the frame 14 by means of Wood screws 194, only one being shown, which extend through the Wall 20 and threads partially into the back side of the panel 190, thereby holding the assembly 174 against the wall. The other panel asemblies are secured to the other walls of the frame 14 in the same manner.

The panel assemblies mounted to the end walls 20 and side walls 22 of the frame 14 are almost identical in construction except that the panel assemblies on end walls 20 must obviously be shorter in length. Also, preferably, the panel assemblies at the end walls 20 have only a single raised panel 190, the lock rail 184 being eliminated.

Since each panel assembly 174 is supported by the fiat supporting surface 100 of the legs 16, relatively heavy panel assemblies may be secured to the walls of the frame 14 without the requirement of a large number of wood screws 174 or other means for attaching the panels to the frame. By this simple construction, various forms of ornamental panel assemblies 174 may be applied to the walls of the frame 14 in order to alter the ornamental appearance of the billiard table 10.

As best seen in FIG. 4, preferably an angled, generally vertical, corner piece 195 is disposed between the ends 196 and 197 of the panel assemblies 174 attached to walls 20 and 22, respectively, at each corner of the frame. The corner piece 195 is secured to the corner of the frame by means of wood screws 198, only one being seen in FIG. 4. The screws 198 extend through bores 199 in the angled section 134 of the bracket '132. It can be appreciated that the corner piece 195 must be secured to the bracket 132 prior to the securement of the bracket by means of the bolts 15-2 to the inside bracket 140.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 to 10, which show a second form of the invention, which is somewhat simplified in construction as compared to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, and is suitable for lighter weight billiard tables which do not require so rugged a construction as provided by that described hereinabove. In this embodiment of the invention, the basic structure is as previously described, and like numbers primed are used to indicate like parts.

As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, walls 20 and 22 of the frame 14' are joined together at their ends by means of a right angle bracket, generally designated 200, which has sides 202 and 204 that engage the inside surfaces and 122, respectively, of the walls of the frame '14. Wood screws 206 passing through openings 208 in the sides of the bracket 200 secure the walls 20' and 22' together. Wood screws 210, only one being seen in FIG. 8, pass through openings 212 at the junction of the sides 202 and 204 of the bracket 200 to secure the vertical corner piece 195' to the table frame. l

:In contrast to the table 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, the table 10 does not employ separate ornamental assemblies 174, but rather, the ornamental design for the walls of the frame 14' is provided by routing the outer surfaces .128 and of the walls, as indicated at 214.

Each leg 16' is secured to the walls 20' and 22' of the frame by means of a bracket which differs from bracket 140 only in that there is provided, preferably, two bores 164 in the flanges 146' and 148'. The bracket 140' is secured to the walls 20" and 22 by means of lag bolts 216 which pass through the bores 164 in the flanges '146' and 148' and thread directly into the walls of the frame. Thus, in this construction, the projection 102' of the leg 16' is secured into the corner of the frame 14 in similar fashion to the leg mounting assembly illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, except that the construction is not quite so rugged and is primarily suited for lighter weight tables.

While the invention has been described herein specifically in connection with billiard tables, it, can, of course, be appreciated that the invention is applicable to other forms of tables, such as dining tables, conference tables, as 'well as to other types of furniture, including chairs and sofas, wherein a rugged leg mounting construction is desired.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be there made within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims, so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures and devices.

I claim:

v1. A table structure comprising:

a generally rectangular frame having opposite end walls and side walls defining four corners;

said end and side walls being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the lower edges thereof whereby each of said corners has inside and outside upwardly and outwardly inclined surfaces;

a generally horizontal top supported by said frame;

a leg at each of said corners, each leg having a generally fiat, upwardly facing supporting surface and an integral projection extending upwardly therefrom;

one side of each projection having inclined surfaces engaging said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner;

said upwardly facing surface of each leg supporting said end and side walls at the respective said corner;

bracket means engaging the other side of each projection and said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner; and

fastener means securing each of said bracket means to said inside inclined surfaces of the respective corner, and thereby fixedly attaching the respective leg projections thereto.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each projection has an increasing cross-section toward the upper end thereof; and

said inclined surfaces of said one side of each projection and said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner being complementary mating surfaces.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each fastener means includes fastener elements extending normally through the portions of each of said bracket means engaging said inclined surfaces of the respective said corner, and extending also into said end and side walls as said corner.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each projection has a generally square cross-section with said cross-section increasing toward the upper end of the projection;

each projection including four surfaces, two adjacent projection surfaces being complementary to said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner and defining said one side of said projection, and the remaining two adjacent projection surfaces being generally vertical and defining said other side of the projection.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein each bracket means includes two intermediate generally vertical sides normal to each other and generally vertical flanges at the ends of said intermediate sides and generally normal thereto;

said intermediate sides of each bracket means engaging said remaining two vertical projection surfaces of the respective said projection; said flanges of each bracket means engaging said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner; and

each fastener means including fastener elements extending normally through said flanges of each bracket means and into said end and side walls at the respective said corner.

6. A structure as set forth in claim l1, including second bracket means engaging said outside inclined surfaces of said end and side walls at the respective said corners; and

each fastener means extending through said end and side walls at the respective said corner and connecting said first mentioned bracket means to said second bracket means.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 1, including ornamental panel means secured to the outside surface of said end and side walls and being supported at the respective said corner by said upwardly facing surface of the respective said leg.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 1, including a recess in said outside inclined surfaces of said side and end walls at the respective said corner;

second generally right-angle bracket means having sides lying in said recess at the respective said corner; each fastener means comprising generally horizontal countersunk headed bolts having shanks extending laterally through the opposite ends of said sides of each of said second bracket means, through the ends of said end and side walls of said frame at the respective said corner, and through the portions of said first mentioned bracket means engaging said inside inclined surfaces of the respective said corner, and nuts secured to the ends of the shanks of each of said bolts; and

ornamental panel means secured to the outside surface of said side and end walls, said panel means overlying said sides of each of said second bracket means and being supported by said upwardly facing surface of said legs.

9. In a structure having a generally horizontal top portion, a frame supporting said top portion, said frame including at least two walls, said walls abutting one another adjacent to the ends thereof to define a corner having inside and outside surfaces, and a leg at said corner, the improvement which comprises:

said leg having an upwardly facing supporting surface and an integral projection extending upwardly therefrom;

one side of said projection having surfaces engaging said inside surfaces of said corner; said upwardly facing surface supporting said Walls; bracket means engaging the other side of said projection and said inside surfaces of said corner; and

fastener means securing said bracket means to said Walls at said corner and thereby fixedly attaching said leg projection thereto;

said inside surfaces of said corner being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the lower edges thereof; and

said projection having an increasing cross-section toward the upper end thereof and being generally complementary to said inside surfaces of said corner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 396,918 1/1889 Butler 248-188 584,145 6/ 1897 Haberkorn 108156 751,285 2/1904 Herzog 108154 766,695 8/1904 Herzog 248-188 1,268,182 6/1918 Treiber 108156 1,292,090 1/1919 Schimmel 248-188 1,325,917 12/1919 Spencer 5310 1,942,003 1/ 1934 Rundle 248-188 2,580,707 1/1952 Underhill 53 10 2,611,672 9/ 1952 Ohlsson 248-188 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 10815 6 

